


Enamoured Embers

by eerieforest



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Childhood Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse, Slow Burn, sort of amnesia AU but not really?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:09:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25282138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerieforest/pseuds/eerieforest
Summary: Adora has been trained as a soldier for the Rebellion ever since she ran away from The Fright Zone, although her memories from that time have been repressed and forgotten. On the opposing side of the war, Catra is climbing up the ranks in the Horde. One day in a battle, the two soldiers meet and the unexplainable recognition puts them in an awkward situation.Will they carry out their duties as enemy soldiers, or will their shared past relight the embers left behind?
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	1. Strangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First time I'm writing a She-Ra fanfic! I'm very excited, and hope you guys will find this interesting too! The setting is slightly medieval-ish and inspired by more traditional fantasy than what the show is (apparently this kind of setting is the only thing I can write lol) 
> 
> I thought it would be interesting to create a dynamic similar to the one in the show (Adora and Catra on opposing sides), but now they're even more distanced having been seperated for years. Gotta love that that friends to strangers to enemies to acquaintances to friends to lovers trope, lmao. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the first chapter, and kudos/comments are so highly appreciated!

**ADORA**

* * *

Another day, another attack. The evil forces never seemed to rest. Why couldn't they at least operate within the unwritten laws of the universe?

 _Because they're evil, Adora,_ she told herself. 

The others in the barracks woke to life beside her, little complaining to be heard. They were all used to it by now. Adora tied her hair up in a ponytail, allowing herself a small stretch of her arms to make her wake up. She opened her trunk of personal belongings, grabbing the armor that was thrown lazily in at the top. Sometimes she didn't even bother putting it inside; after all, what was the point when she needed it the next morning? Honestly, she'd save more time sleeping in the goddamn thing. Morning was a generous term, the sun was not yet up and the dark blue of the sky was barely brightening. As much as Adora liked to fight, to swing her sword and feel the rush of blood in her veins, she did miss sitting down in peace and actually admire the sun rising.

Every day it was the same routine. They marched out on empty stomachs, were met by an endless horde of ugly, deformed goblins, defeated them by lunch time and marched home just in time for the sun to set. The soldiers would gather in the dining hall, engulfing an entire day of fighting worth in food. To lighten the mood, some would play games and drink, but often they were too exhausted.

And sometimes, that would all be replaced by memorials of those fallen that day. They did usually have the upper hand, but sometimes, it slipped. The ones who fell were almost always amongst the youngest, or the oldest. Those who had never seen a fight, and those who had lived through too many. 

Bright Moon didn’t spare any soldiers. 

After such a memorial, the morning was always full of quiet mumbling amongst the soldiers. They were angry. They didn't dare speak up loudly about it, but Adora knew. They were furious that the Queen kept throwing them into the field, when it was obvious the hordes only grew in size and got closer each day. Those lives lost seemed for naught. Adora didn't know what to think. She could not bring herself to think ill of the Queen, not when she was kind to her like a mother. She didn't treat Adora any differently than her own daughter. Sometimes she felt like her co-soldiers hated her for it, her being just of the same rank yet treated like another royal. She suspected that was why they always whispered. 

Or perhaps they hated her for an entirely different reason. Like her origin. She hadn't always been a soldier of Bright Moon. In fact, until her early teens, she had been on the opposite side of the war. She had been raised in the Horde. But it was a distant dream to her, the memories were foggy and broken. Most of the things Adora knew of her past, were things others had told her. Maybe the horrors she saw there was too much for her young mind. Apparently she had run away, and was found in the woods surrounding Bright Moon. They had been cautious at first, but once they realized she was just a child, they took her in, and raised her to fight for them.

While her mind wandered as they marched towards the border that seemed to shrink at Brightmoon's dismay, Adora felt a nudge at her side. Brown eyes peered up at her. 

"Glimmer?!" Adora exclaimed.

When others turned their heads, Glimmer hushed at her.

"Why are you here?" she whispered back, but with an edge in her tone. Glimmer rolled her eyes. 

"To fight. Duh." 

Adora felt the tinge of a headache coming, pressing at her skull. She was exhausted as everybody else, and having to look after the princess in the midst of it was not helping.

"Go back," Adora simply said. 

"No, you guys need my help.”

In a more energetic state, Adora would counter with arguments. But right now she had to save her energy. 

"You're making my day much harder than it needs to be, do you understand that?" She resorted to.

Glimmer lips thinned into a line. 

"You patronize me. I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

Adora ignored her, and kept her eyes forward.

"Bow didn't mind me being here," Glimmer mumbled under her breath.

Adora felt the pressure in her head increase. She threw a look behind her, landing on Bow walking in line with the other archers. "Well, Bow, won't have the obligation to save your ass when I'm the one next to you in close combat," Adora spat.

It was a bit harsh. Both to Glimmer and her own headache. Adora didn't really have much control over her own emotions these last days. 

"Sorry. This war is tearing at me, at us all," she mumbled, to diffuse the situation. 

Going in a battle mad at another soldier, was the worst thing you could do. On the field you had to protect each other like you were brothers and sisters.

"I know," Glimmer said softly. "That's why I'm here."

Well, Adora really didn’t have much of a choice here. Glimmer was stubborn, and there was no way she could make her leave without it causing an unnecessary scene. But if she let her fight? The Queen would surely have her head. 

“Could you at least stay close to Bow, further back? And I-” Glimmer was about to intercept, but Adora put her hand up. “And I’m _not_ saying you’re not capable. You’re the heir to the throne, it’s vital that you stay safe.” 

Adora saw the faint trace of a pout, a childish manner Glimmer hadn’t quite shaken off since childhood. Truthfully, it was kind of endearing. Glimmer quickly straightened up as if she realized, hardening her expression. 

“Fine. Only because you asked so nicely,” she said, crossing her arms.

She turned back towards Bow, but looked back at Adora one last time. 

“... Adora? Be careful please.” 

Adora smiled. 

“I always am.”

  
  


Well, she tried to be. But being on the frontlines, favoring the more brutish way to swing swords, you could say, made it difficult to be careful in the heat of the moment. 

And to be honest, this was the reason Adora was a good soldier. Not just good, but one of the Queen’s best. The other soldiers who didn’t scowl at her and were fine with her presence, said that on the field she was an unstoppable force that never felt fear. 

It made her cheeks red hearing such compliments, but she didn’t agree completely. She did feel fear. She feared for the other soldiers. She feared for the veterans with old wounds, she feared for the children with skinny, shaky limbs. She feared for her friends, she feared for ambushes that would attack their backlines and Bow, and now she feared for Glimmer. She feared she would find her pink hair and short body lay unmoving on the ground in a puddle of blood. 

But for herself, she really didn’t fear much. If she were to meet her maker today, then so be it. At least she would die doing what she was born to do. Fight.

The goblins weren’t good swordfighters. Frankly, they lacked the brains. The only thing they had going for them were their numbers. Even the stupidest of creatures could overwhelm a good soldier if there were too many of them. 

Adora skillfully parried their spears and clubs, the metal clang only adding to the jarring chaos of a melody that the battlefield created. She forcefully disarmed them, causing them to shriek in distorted sounds. When they tried reaching for Adora empty-handed, she impaled them, slashed them, stabbed their green, wrinkly bodies until the corpses piled in front of her.

When Adora felt like she had bought herself enough time, she looked behind her, searching the battlefield for her friends. Glimmer’s pink head was easy to spot despite her height, and next to her Bow towered above her, sending arrows into the green mass of goblins. After ensuring that they were fine, Adora went back to work. 

The sun was bright and burning by the time the horde was defeated. It had perhaps been the easiest battle in weeks, after a rough period of unending hordes. Adora’s sweat wasn’t even caused by hard work, only the strong sun. The last of the goblins retreated, and ran off into the thick forest. Adora felt a hand patting her shoulder in congratulations, and she gave a short compliment back. The chattering amongst the soldiers were light and cheerful.

This was exactly what they had needed. The feeling of victory, of being able to return home early. 

“That wasn’t so bad!” Glimmer said, smiling to Bow and Adora, who shared a glance. 

“Of course the newbie gets to partake in the easiest fight,” Bow said. 

“It’s weird though… I can’t tell if they were fewer in numbers today or if I’ve just gotten used to them,” Adora wondered. 

Bow frowned. “I feel the same way. I think their numbers have decreased. Perhaps we’re finally getting close to an end.”

“Maybe.” Adora wanted to believe it, but something felt a bit off. The goblins had pushed them back for weeks, forcing them further and further in towards Bright Moon. How could the dynamic shift so suddenly? 

“We have to remember, the goblins are just pawns. While we’ve been exhausting our own soldiers, theirs have probably been training and preparing behind the scenes,” Glimmer said. Spoken like a true strategist, you could tell Glimmer would some day make a good queen. Yes, she was young and rather inexperienced, but she had a good head on her shoulders. 

For the rest of the march home, they stopped thinking about what-if’s, and instead joined their co-soldiers in their gleeful, victorious state of mind.

They were joking about what the Queen’s face would look like if she found out Glimmer had joined them, and ended up deciding that they would just have to lie, because the image was too terrifying.

In the middle of a hearty laughter, the energy of the soldiers changed. The chatter died down, and the march stopped. Adora suddenly felt the faint smell of smoke. Above the trees, the blue sky was not blue anymore. Instead, thick, gray smoke lay like a carpet above them. 

Something was burning. 

The soldiers ran quickly, the sound of wood crackling became louder and the density of the smoke grew thicker. By the time the soldiers arrived to the source of the fire, they were coughing violently and covering their mouths in whatever cloth they had available.

The sight was horrifying. The entire village of Elberon was ablaze. People were running out of their houses, some collapsing on the streets. The crops that were soon ready for harvest were burnt. A year supply of food gone, just like that. Every single building was on fire, and the flames spread to the surrounding areas. In a village mostly built of wood, a fire of this size would leave nothing behind. 

After the initial shock, the soldiers acted quickly.

Adora clutched the shirt she pulled up to cover her mouth, and ran to a woman who lay screaming outside her house. She tried to help her up, but the woman resisted. 

“My daughter!, Please-” her voice was frail, and she could barely speak between coughing fits. “Please, help my daughter!” 

“Is she inside?” Adora asked, her voice muffled.

The woman grimaced, and only nodded in return. Adora took a proper look, and saw that her leg was badly burnt and bleeding. 

The whole house was on fire, and threatened with falling apart. The sounds were unmistakable.

Adora had to act now. 

She burst through through the flames, blocking out the pain and the heat. Underneath her armor, her skin was wet and slippery with sweat. She couldn’t afford to think about that. 

Inside the entryway, Adora quickly looked around. She heard a faint cough, but only barely. The crackling of the wood falling apart was so loud. She followed the sound to the best of her ability, and ended up at a staircase.

A little girl had collapsed against the railing.

Her breathing was laboured, and her eyes closed. She was about to faint. 

“Hey!” Adora called out loudly, starting to ascend the steps. The girl’s eyelids slightly fluttered. Adora was about to reach her, when she heard a loud crash from above her.  
  
Adora could barely back up before a burning beam had fallen onto the stairs with such a force that it created a large gap.

The little girl screamed. At least she was awake. 

Adora thought she could step over the gap, perhaps jump, but the steps were too high. And in the pit of the gap was a pile of burning wood. If she fell down, she’d take the rest of the stairs with her, and that would be the end of her and the girl. 

“Hey, hey, I’m gonna help you!” Adora called out to the girl, who clutched around her legs. The girl didn’t acknowledge her. 

“Your mother is waiting outside for you. If you stand up, and jump into my arms you get to be with her soon!” Adora tried speaking quickly, but also staying calm as to not scare the girl. 

Time was running out. 

Hearing the mention of her mother, the little girl opened her eyes. She looked at Adora. 

“I’m scared.” 

“It’s okay. I’m here to help. What’s your name?” 

“Frilla,” the girl answered after a cough, almost too quietly for Adora to hear. 

“Okay Frilla, can you stand up?” 

The thick smoke was creeping into Adora’s lungs, and all she wanted to do was cough, but she had to stay strong. 

Frilla stood up, balancing herself against the railing. 

“Good! Now, all you need to do - ” Adora held out her arms above the pit. The flames licked at her armor, and Adora felt burns starting to form on the underside of her hands. “ - Is jump.”

“I can’t…” Frilla whispered. 

The pain of the burns was nearly unbearable. 

“Yes, you can! I will catch you!” Adora said through clenched teeth. “Do it for your mother.” 

Frilla looked nervously above the burning gap, but looked back at Adora. She knew what she had to do. 

“Okay,” Frilla said. 

Adora held out her arms further, locking them in place despite the pain. 

And Frilla jumped.

Her body impacted with Adora’s arms, and Adora quickly snatched her up and ran with her through the building which was falling apart behind them. 

After having escaped, Adora nearly collapsed while coughing. Frilla’s mother was there, reaching for her daughter and pulling her into an embrace. 

“My baby girl,” she sobbed. Her eyes met Adora’s. “Thank you.” 

Soon, Bow and Glimmer were by Adora’s side, and together they helped the family escape the burning village. 

It was unknown how many had managed to escape in time, but hearing the heart wrenching cries coming from some of the villagers, it was no doubt. Some had not made it, and perished in the fire.

And as villagers and soldiers walked towards Bright Moon, Elberon was being burnt to a crisp behind them. By morning, the houses would be in embers, and the village of Elberon would be no more. 

**CATRA**

* * *

  
  


Today was a victory. It was a result of meticulous planning, only succeeding if one was patient and ambitious. And best of all? It was Catra’s plan. She was the mastermind behind setting Elberon ablaze. Shadow Weaver and Hordak could boast all they wanted of _their_ victory, but Catra knew the truth. This was hers. 

They thought they were the puppeteers, but really it was Catra pulling the strings. Surely they would acknowledge her for this? Catra had thought about nothing for months. She had barely slept in anticipation, running different forms of strategy through her mind at night. 

She had been right. Send the goblins towards Bright Moon and they would have no other choice than to fight them. Send them there day after day for months, and eventually it would capture them in an unbreakable pattern that never strayed. Only then would they lower their guard, only then would they not suspect something as non-confrontational as a fire. 

Sure, it was not Catra’s muscles that fought, she hadn’t even carried a torch or walked a mile outside The Fright Zone, but it was her brain that orchestrated this event which would cause The Rebellion’s morale to plummet.

And sometimes, intelligence won the war over muscle. 

  
  


Catra was nearly high on pride approaching Hordak’s throne. It was unusual, as most of the time whenever Shadow Weaver called her to meet she was instantly filled with a sense of dread. This time, Catra knew she had done a good job, and not even Shadow Weaver could take that from her. 

Except she did. 

Catra was gestured to kneel in front of Hordak, while Shadow Weaver stood still next to her. 

“I must congratulate you on this strategy,” Hordak said, his voice commanding the room. Catra felt a gleeful anticipation bubble in her chest. 

“This is a win we have been waiting for. And you handed it to us, Shadow Weaver.” 

Catra felt her mouth fall open. She angled her head, side-eyeing Shadow Weaver who made no note of Catra. 

“Thank you, Lord Hordak.” 

_She had the audacity to thank him?! For the plan Catra had worked on for months?_

Of course. This was Shadow Weaver. 

“As we have caught them by surprise, now would be the time to strike. I expect nothing less than more victories to come,” Hordak said, emotionless and stoic. 

“Of course, your excellency. I would also ask of you to promote Catra to Force Captain, as now would be a good time for her to show her worth to us,” Shadow Weaver said, and just now glanced down at Catra.

Her eyes were dark and bottomless, as always. When younger, Catra had thought her eyeballs had been taken, and the thought of staring into the abyss of her hollow eyes made her skin crawl. 

“Her?” Hordak asked, as if he had never seen Catra in his life. It didn’t surprise her at all. 

“Hmm…” Hordak scratched his chin nonchalantly. “I trust your judgement, do as you please,” he said, and waved them off with a flick of his hand. 

As they were escorted out, Catra’s mind was buzzing.  
  
She had just been promoted… To Force Captain?

Suddenly the loss of recognition for her plan didn’t matter anymore. Shadow Weaver wanted _her_ to be Force Captain. She wanted _her_ to lead the Horde to victory. 

Catra looked up at her. 

“This will be the only favour I do for you. This is not an opportunity for you to play around. Our fate is in your hands, and we expect you not to let us down,” Shadow Weaver said, her voice deep and piercing. 

“Yes. Of course.” 

“And if you do… Well. You know what happens when you disappoint me.” 

Catra swallowed thickly, and with her throat feeling dry and harsh like sandpaper, she resorted to only nodding in response. 

Catra remembered every single time Shadow Weaver’s darkness had surrounded her, pressed at her body ever since childhood until now. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t think. She couldn’t breathe. 

Oh, she knew Shadow Weaver’s punishment like the back of her hand. 

  
  


After the successful burning of Elberon, the Horde wasted no time. Their large army consisting of skilled fighters immediately marched out in the direction of Bright Moon. Every small village they passed cowered in fear, immediately surrendering at their feet. After a day of conquering villages, the Horde set up camp, content with the land they had managed to take. 

By now, the Rebellion was probably on high alert. The next fight would not be easy. All the enemy soldiers would be called on to protect Bright Moon’s surrounding area. But they would be weakened from the months of fighting goblins, and if the Horde was victorious, it would basically be an open invitation to Bright Moon’s gates. And once Bright Moon was taken? Etheria would have one less kingdom, and Catra would finally be showered with the recognition she deserved. 

Catra had woken up the next morning, feeling out of sorts. She was nervous, she realized. The pressure was piling on top of her, as she would be blamed if they lost this battle. It if went really badly, she could even lose her life. 

_No. There are things I haven’t accomplished yet._

She would fight tooth and nail to win this battle, and eventually, the war. 

They didn’t have to march far before meeting a wall of Rebellion soldiers. Their numbers were high, perhaps the same as the Horde, but Catra reminded herself that they had been fighting for months, they had to be exhausted. 

In contrast, the Horde had been patiently waiting, training and sharpening their weapons, while frothing at the mouth for blood. And their time had finally come. 

Catra didn’t need to give the soldiers an inspirational speech. It would only annoy them, as they were buzzing with anticipation for heading into battle. She only gave simple commands to keep the troops in check, and that was enough. 

Catra had barely shouted “Onwards!” before the Horde started running. The air carried their war cries, and in the matter of a minute, the two opposing armies clashed. A captain was expected to fight on the frontlines, and Catra did. But she knew some, if not most, of her fellow soldiers were taller, bigger and stronger than her. So in the midst of battle, she strategically moved towards the side of the field, where the forest began and she could use the terrain to her advantage.

She could climb, jump and move quietly better than anybody else. Catra was confident no one saw how she climbed up a tree, and swung herself through the branches into enemy territory. 

From up there, the enemies looked smaller, like mice scurrying helplessly across the ground. 

Catra smiled. This was now a cat-and-mouse game. 

Before anyone gave Catra any attention, she had already picked off a few soldiers. They were unaware, too focused on what was in front of them instead of even thinking about a possible ambush. 

Catra left her blade at her back, trusting her claws to do the work. She picked out her victims strategically, snatching smaller, lightweight soldiers positioned on the sidelines. Their shouts drowned underneath Catra’s hands, and while retreating back into the bushes, she dug her nails into their necks, into any unprotected skin. She had to be quick, she couldn’t ensure their deaths so for good measure she knocked them out by bashing their heads against rocks and tree trunks. 

Her nails were bloodied, leaving trails of blood wherever she touched. By now she was playing a dangerous game. She would be caught soon. 

The first one to spot her was an archer. He shot an arrow at her, and she barely dodged enough for it to hit the tree behind her. By then he had shouted a warning, and her cover was blown. 

Catra didn’t need to think twice about running. She trusted her instincts, and it drove her further into the woods. Someone was following her, breaking twigs and cutting through branches so loudly it was impossible not to know. Catra ran faster, skillfully leaping over obstacles in her way. 

She thought she had the upper hand, hearing the footsteps fade, but in a moment of checking behind her, Catra nearly made a fatal mistake. 

She turned around just in time before running into a chasm.

Her knees wobbled as she abruptly stopped, and she struggled to stay upright. 

The chasm was large, too large to jump over, and looking down, the drop was way too deep and ended up in a rocky river. By the time Catra had calculated the risks she would take by trying to move on, the soldier following her had caught up. 

“You have nowhere to go!” The woman called out, and Catra turned around. 

The soldier was holding a broadsword, pointed in Catra’s direction. At the sight, Catra felt like the air was punched out of her. 

The point of the broadsword was sharp and gleaming in the sunlight, but yet Catra could tell it had been much used. The woman's heavy armour was dirty, scraped and bloody, and she had tied up her blonde hair in a ponytail that was coming undone. 

But that wasn’t what made Catra freeze in place. It was her eyes.

Cold, blue, piercing eyes that seemed so incredibly familiar. 

Catra knew this woman. And judging by the change of her expression, the woman recognized Catra too.


	2. Sinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the fleeting moment of confusion passes, Catra and Adora erupt into a fight. But Mother Nature has other plans for them, and they have to try surviving against greater forces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Managed to update earlier than expected! This chapter was very fun to write :) Raise your hand up if you also can't get enough of people w undeniable chemistry who seemingly hate each other are forced to breathe the same air 🙋

**ADORA**

* * *

Adora was on the trail of the cat-like soldier. It was exhausting, running in her armour after someone who apparently had endless stamina.

But Adora knew the terrain, and if the soldier kept going, Adora would eventually corner her. 

And she was right. She caught sight of the soldier pausing just in time before stepping over the edge into the chasm. 

“You have nowhere to go!” Allura shouted, holding her sword firmly. 

The cat-woman turned around. Had she really been the one taking down all those soldiers Adora passed? Some of them Adora knew were good fighters. And this soldier didn’t exactly look the strongest out of the bunch. 

But looks could be deceiving. 

Her expression was strange. She was frowning, her different-coloured eyes were narrow and her lips were pulled tight. 

Something about her felt odd. Like the feeling you get when you swear you’ve had the same dream before, something that feels familiar but is too abstract to make sense of. 

“Who are y-” It was a mistake opening her mouth. In the midst of Adora’s confusion, the woman ran towards her, ducking underneath her sword and tackling Adora to the ground. It surprised her enough for Adora to lose the grip around her sword, but once she was on the ground she reacted quickly. 

Adora threw the soldier off her easily, but it wasn’t enough to keep her away. The soldier hissed, and attacked her again, but from a different angle. 

She was too fast, Adora could barely keep up. 

Suddenly she was on top of her, and Adora caught a glimpse of small fangs peeking out of her mouth, and her eyes were big and wild. Before she could strike her, Adora grabbed her arms roughly. 

It helped for a few seconds, but the woman was quick-thinking. She twisted her hands around, and dug her fingernails that were more like claws into Adora's skin. Adora yelled out in agony, and with her hips, she managed to throw her off. 

But it was no use. The woman had her legs locked around her, and while rolling over, she brought Adora with her. 

And that was when the ground crumbled underneath them. 

They had gotten too close to the edge, where the ground was frail. The sudden pressure of their flailing bodies was too much. 

Both of them screamed, desperately reaching for anything to hold on to, roots, branches, anything at all, but the collapsing ground created a slide so fast, and soon they were falling freely. 

They were in the air. 

Adora couldn’t even scream, feeling like her breath had escaped her. The feeling in her gut was awful, it suddenly felt empty and then full again, swirling like she was about to throw up. 

In the midst of the chaos she and the brunette had broken apart, and for only a second Adora managed to open her eyes, and saw her falling as well. 

And then they hit water. 

They plunged through the surface, and Adora was so sure she would hit the rocks underneath her, but instead the water softened her fall. 

The water was cold, seeping through the slits of her armour and through her clothes. Adora struggled to keep it out of her airways, but started to panic when she felt her armour weigh her down. 

She had to get it off, or else she would drown. 

Her gauntlets were the easiest, with only one clasp each holding them together. Once they were off, Adora felt her head spinning, and she swam with all her might towards the surface.

While the river was deep, it was also violent.

Adora broke through the surface, coughing out water and taking a deep, desperate breath. The river was taking her downwards too quickly for her to swim to land, especially not with her armour still on. 

While simultaneously trying to keep her head above water, she fiddled with the strings that kept her breastplate on. Once they were loose, she managed to remove the pieces, and already she felt much lighter.

Adora started swimming towards land, and while it was difficult to fight the stream, she was already getting closer. 

That was when she heard a shout.

Well, it sounded more like a gurgle. 

Adora turned, and watched as the soldier she had fought bobbed in the river, struggling to stay above water. 

By the sound of her cries, she was swallowing too much water. 

Could she not swim? She was barely wearing armour and she was light as a feather, there was no way she’d sink. 

_ She’s your enemy. Why should it matter what happens to her? _

But Adora had already made up her mind, changing her course towards her.

Soldiers should die honorably by battle, not by drowning.

It was taxing, and her shoulders and arms screamed for relief, but Adora could do this. How often had she not felt her body shake in pain and exhaustion on the battlefield, yet kept going? 

By the time Adora had reached her, she had gone under. 

Adora took a deep breath, and followed her. Her eyes stung as she opened them, and it was nearly impossible to see anything, but Adora saw the mass of a body in front of her. She wasn’t too deep, and after a few strokes, Adora managed to grab hold of her. 

In her arms, she was pliant and still, and that was what worried Adora. When they had reached the surface again, Adora swam on her back while trying to keep the woman above water. 

“Hey!” Adora tried yelling, but the river was so loud she might not have heard her. 

In fact, she already seemed unconscious. 

Swimming on her back while holding another person was much harder, and most of the time, Adora felt like she was in the exact same spot she was in two minutes ago. 

If she kept this up, they would both drown. 

It was risky, but Adora changed her position. She turned around, grabbing hold of the woman’s shirt, and desperately tried swimming towards land. 

Being too careful would not save them today. 

Soon, Adora tried reaching for the bottom with her legs, and touched rock. They were closer to land, and the river was more shallow here. 

Adora swam a few more strokes, before digging her feet into the rocky sand, and from there she managed to walk onto land with the woman dragging after her. 

The water was trickling off of her, but Adora could worry about that later. 

The brunette was unconscious, maybe even dead. 

So Adora did the only thing that made sense to her, and tried to save her regardless. 

“Come on, come on,” she muttered under her breath as she opened up her airways, and started pressing down rhythmically against her sternum. 

Nothing was happening.

Adora kept pressing and releasing until she had counted thirty compressions. 

She gripped the woman’s chin, put her mouth against hers and exhaled. 

When she pulled back, she was still unmoving. 

Adora kept doing compressions. 

“Wake up,” she said, like a mantra, and felt her throat tighten. 

_ People die every day. You don’t know her. She’s your enemy. Why do you care about her? _

Adora convinced herself it was because she either had a savior complex or simply because it was awful seeing people die. 

Ironic wasn’t it? She was soldier and had killed people, yet  _ this  _ was awful. 

Adora needed to breathe into her once more, but as Adora reached for her chin again, the body underneath her convulsed. 

The woman coughed, and Adora quickly helped her move to her side. 

Water oozed out of her mouth, splattering against the rocky beach. 

Adora instantly felt relief. “Catra, you’re alright!” 

_ Catra? Why did she say that?  _

The woman looked at her briefly, before coughing up more water. Afterwards she was collapsed against the ground, breathing heavily. 

“You know who I am?” the brunette said, forcing the words out even while coughing and still struggling to breathe. 

Adora didn’t know what to answer. Why did she ask that?

“What? No.” 

The woman stared at her. “You said my name.” 

“No, I didn’t.”   


“Yes, you did, you said-” The woman coughed violently. “- You said Catra.” 

Adora was dumbfounded. She did say that. How could she know that was her name? 

Once Catra was breathing normally and color was starting to return to her face again, Adora spoke up. 

“... Do we know each other?” 

Adora wasn’t sure if she expected her to answer yes or no, but at least she expected something. All Catra did was look at her, various emotions running across her face that Adora had no idea how to read. 

Eventually Catra averted her gaze. Her expression turned sour again, eyes narrow and downcast. 

“No. We don’t.” 

**CATRA**

* * *

  
  


She fucking hated water. She hated it so much. And of course, that’s where she ended up, in a goddamn river. Whoever was up there in heaven, orchestrating this whole mess, was laughing their lungs out. 

After Catra had puked her own lungs out, her stomach filled to the brim with water and mud and probably little fishes too - whatever existed in such a dreadful place that was a body of water - Catra was exhausted. 

Worst of all? Her savior was none other than her enemy. And even worse than that, her enemy was someone she once knew. 

“I’m Adora, by the way,” the blonde said. 

And of course Catra already knew that. She had remembered two seconds before attacking her on top of the cliff. 

“You saved my life so now we’re gonna be all chummy?” Catra asked. 

Adora frowned. 

“Being  _ grateful  _ is normal,” she spat. 

“Well, I never asked to be saved.” 

“I did what any Rebellion soldier would’ve done. I saw someone drowning, and saved them. I can’t say it would be the same for Horde soldiers like you.” 

Now that made Catra see red. Had this fool gone stupid? Had she actually gone completely stupid, spending years with the Rebellion?  _ No wonder.  _

The irony was too good to be true. Catra could’ve yelled  _ “You are one of the Horde soldiers like me!” _ but she decided not to. Maybe this idiot genuinely had no idea who she was and where she came from. 

Instead, she scoffed. “That’s rich.” 

Adora’s eyebrow twitched. “How so?” she asked through gritted teeth. 

“It is  _ so  _ classic Rebellion soldiers, to sit there high and mighty on your pedestals. You and I are no different. We’re all murderers.” 

Catra could tell she was agitating Adora, by the way her nostrils slightly flared. And despite the shitshow of a situation they were in, Catra allowed herself to let it please her. 

Adora didn’t come with a rebuttal, and instead she turned away from her. Catra watched as she ripped off her boots, flipping them upside down so the water pooled out. Then she removed the remaining parts of her armor. Catra was still looking as Adora reached for her undershirt, and was about to take it off. 

“What are you doing?” Catra asked. 

Adora turned around, mid-movement. “I’m taking off my wet shirt. What does it look like I’m doing? And what are you still doing here? If you’re not gonna try to kill me again, then piss off.” 

Catra bared her teeth, and rose up quickly. 

She was done with this place anyway.

Without a word, she left, heading into the thick forest without the slightest idea of where to go. But it was better than staying there… With her. 

  
  


Once Catra had walked for a while, she exhaled deeply. 

She was shaking. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or the fact that her fur was wet and the sun was going down, or the fact that she met a ghost from her past in the most unlikeliest of places. 

It wasn’t that unlikely, really. From what Catra remembered, Adora was a skilled fighter. However, how she ended up in the claws of the Rebellion was beyond her. 

She did look a little different than when they were kids though. 

Her hair was the same blond, but it was longer. 

Her face was thinner, yet sharper. 

Her eyes were still blue, yet... Full of confidence and fire. 

And her arms… 

_ How the hell did she get so beefy?! _

Catra shook her head. She was just out of it. Anyone would be out of it after drowning and then coming back to life. 

Adora had saved her. Why? It was clear she didn’t remember her. There was no reason for her to do that. 

Catra scoffed. Adora was always too compassionate for her own good. Guess she had not changed that much. 

Maybe she was right in leaving The Fright Zone. Good-hearted people didn’t belong there. Good-hearted people escaped and left the bad ones behind. 

Like Catra.

  
  


The forest did nothing to make Catra dry. The air was humid, and despite freezing she was sweating like crazy. Her muscles still shook and twitched. And to fuel the fire, Catra had no fucking idea where she was.

The battle was probably over at this point. Her soldiers probably thought their captain had deserted them. If they weren’t all dead. 

Catra definitely would be, no matter the outcome. It was her first proper battle, and she had already let Shadow Weaver and Lord Hordak down. Fucking. Fantastic. They would actually flay her. 

Maybe being utterly lost was a blessing in disguise. 

But alas, she spoke too soon. 

  
  


The sun had completely gone down by this point, and darkness started to surround her. As a child, her night vision was impeccable. In fact, the dark made her stronger, and it was one of her greatest advantages. 

But that strength was quickly taken away by Shadow Weaver. When Shadow Weaver punished her, all the light disappeared. It was like her bodily functions were just… taken away. It’s like she stole her eyes, ears and scent, and left her in complete darkness only feeling the numbing sensation of cold, utter despair. 

Catra was not religious, but if she was, that darkness surely would be her purgatory. 

After being exposed to that too many times, the dark didn’t comfort her anymore. She stopped trusting her abilities at night. And wandering around in a forest without a compass or a map? In enemy territory, on top of that? 

During what had probably been the worst day of her entire life so far? 

Oh, Catra was doing  _ great. _

She was having such a good time. The mysterious animalistic noises coming from every direction were so great at keeping her company, the occasional cold gust of wind  _ did not _ send shivers down her spine at all, her clothes weren’t cold and damp and sticky, not at all!

In fact this fucking forest was not scary in the slig- 

“AAAAH!” Catra shrieked as she bumped into something, and the something she bumped into shrieked as well. 

So it was a someone. 

“What the fuck?!” The someone yelled, and Catra quickly recognized them. Of course it was Adora. 

“What are you still doing here?!” Adora asked. 

For some reason the question annoyed Catra  _ deeply.  _

“You think I would still be here if I could leave?! I’m fucking lost!” She yelled, and it almost pained her vocal chords. 

The outburst seemed to make Adora jump back, and Catra tried to calm down. 

“What are  _ you  _ still doing here?” She muttered. 

Adora chewed on her lip, and averted her gaze. 

“...’M lost as well,” she mumbled, almost too quietly for Catra to hear. 

Catra couldn’t help but laugh. “The Rebellion soldier is lost on her own turf. Great.” 

Adora sighed, but didn’t come with a snarky comeback. Catra was almost glad, she was too damn frustrated and tired for games. 

“Look. I know the way back to the river. Let’s stay there for the night, and we’ll help each other out in the morning, and go our separate ways. Deal?”

Adora held her hand out, but Catra didn’t shake it. It could be a trap, for all she knew. Maybe Adora was lying, and had changed her mind about killing her. Maybe her friends were waiting by the river to take Catra as a prisoner. 

Despite the huge risks she would be taking… It would be better than to stay there in the forest for the entire night. 

Alone. 

Besides, something in Adora’s voice sounded genuine. 

“... Deal.” 

  
  


To Catra’s surprise, Adora managed to make a fire. It wasn’t easy finding completely dry firewood in the damp forest, but by using a branch that she rolled between her hands to create friction, she sparked a fire. After a while, she had built it into a bonfire. 

_ Okay, fine. Adora had survival skills. _ Maybe staying there for the night wasn’t the stupidest thing Catra had ever done. 

Catra sat as close as she could to the fire without accidentally burning herself, curled up into a ball. The heat was comfortable, finally drying her clothes. 

She had been staring into the dancing bonfire for ages, before she noticed Adora was looking at her.

_Why was she looking?_ Catra would’ve said something snarky, but instead she felt nervous and couldn’t open her mouth. 

Adora’s expression was unreadable. 

“Are you sure we haven’t met before?” Adora asked. 

She was prodding. How could Catra play this? 

“... How would that even be possible?” 

Until now, Catra was under the impression that Adora remembered nothing. Maybe she hit her head running away from The Fright Zone and Catra. With that gigantic globe of a head, maybe she simply tipped over. 

But perhaps Adora knew more. So Catra could do some digging herself. 

Adora didn’t meet her eyes. She looked away, as if in deep thought. 

“Maybe we’ve fought before.”

_ Unlikely, _ Catra thought. There had been few full-on battles between the Rebellion and the Horde until now. 

Instead she said: “No. I would’ve remembered you.” 

The words were out before she could stop them. 

Adora looked at her quizzically. 

“I-, I mean, how could you not remember a brute like you with a watermelon for a head?” Catra fumbled, only partially satisfied with her solution. 

“Oh, come on!” Adora exclaimed, obviously offended. 

Catra hadn’t know what she meant by that. 

At the moment, all she thought was that Adora didn’t remember her, but she remembered Adora. And it shouldn’t have, but the thought of it felt like needles pricking at her skin. 

Adora had known her name, yet it could only have been an instinct, because Adora did not remember _her._ At all. 

The word _why_ echoed and lingered in Catra’s mind, even as she dozed off by the bonfire and slipped into a state of dreaming. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, Catra. That's a tad bit of bottled up emotions you're carrying there.


End file.
